Kansas City Chiefs Advance to AFC Championship

Cursed No More

Ask any Kansas City Chiefs fan and they will tell you all about the past 25 years of disappointment. They’ll tell you about the awful memories: three missed field goals, the no-punt game, 38-10, only allowing field goals or the Mariota to Mariota touchdown pass.

But just like that, none of it matters. It has all been erased for this supposedly cursed franchise. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have shifted the tide, and brought on a new era of Chiefs football. They have finally won a playoff game at home, the first since 1994. They will move on to face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game, which will also be at home for the first time in franchise history.

Showdown at Arrowhead

IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports

Snow fell onto the field as the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Kansas City Chiefs got underway.

The Chiefs got ahead early in the first quarter, when they struck with a 10-yard touchdown run by Damien Williams. After that, it was all speed, when wide receiver Tyreek Hill ran a sweep play 36 yards downfield for another touchdown.

On the other side of the ball, the Kansas City Chiefs defense, which has given up more first downs this season than any other team in NFL history, held the fiery Colts offense to multiple three-and-outs. Kansas City tacked on three more with a second-quarter field goal. The Colts finally got on the board later in the quarter with a blocked punt by Najee Goode, which resulted in a touchdown. The Kansas City Chiefs promptly responded with a six-yard touchdown dive by MVP front runner Patrick Mahomes.

The game became a defensive slugfest in the second half with neither team allowing points in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Colts quarterback Andrew Luck floated a beautiful pass right to T.Y. Hilton for their first offensive touchdown. It was too little too late for Frank Reich’s team though, because Andy Reid’s Chiefs were able to run in one more touchdown with halfback Darrel Williams to seal the game. Kansas City won with a final score of 31-13.

Can Kansas City continue their success or will they falter to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots? Can Andy Reid out coach Bill Belichick in their AFC Championship battle? Maybe home-field advantage is all this Chiefs team needs to finally make a Super Bowl. All that is known is that this team is different, and so is their attitude.